


The Trouble With Time

by AkeboshiShiba



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-12
Updated: 2015-06-12
Packaged: 2018-04-04 00:29:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4119994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkeboshiShiba/pseuds/AkeboshiShiba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The past, the future, even the present time, each has their own troubles, but when those troubles are made even worse because of a single person... well... i suppose that's just dandy... With plans that involve persons from the past, and some from the present, who knows what the future will bring... I guess we will just have to follow along and see now won't we?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Trouble With Time

The vortex swirled before golden eyes and a smirk traced the man’s lips. “Perfect… follow me, Jikan.” The man’s voice came out as a hoarse mutter. The golden eyed man eyed the young woman with pale pinkish red magenta eyes, whose name itself meant time. “Hai, sir…” the young white haired girl said and followed the taller man through the vortex. She appeared to be albino from a first glace which threw most people off, but she was in fact a creation similar in entirety as the Zetsu Madara had created.

They stepped through the vortex and the first noise they heard was the clashing of metal against metal. Jikan’s appearance took on a young dark brown haired girl with equally dark brown eyes, her appearance now similar to the first Hokage. “Go, do not disappoint me.” the golden eyed man said and she nodded and took off towards the sound of the clashing blades. She skidded to a stop behind a white haired teen and a man who looked similar to her.

The dark haired man had just sent a black haired male flying with a swift foot to the chest. The black haired man flipped and landed in a crouched position. The two before her turned and looked behind them at the newcomer. “Who sent you?” the white haired one asked and she blinked. “I'm on your side.” She said simply and they watched her carefully before turning back to the two they were fighting before. Jikan held both hands out and thumped the air behind the two men nearest her. The air rippled and their movements froze as a wicked smirk crossed her lips. Her image rippled and the dark eyes and hair vanished.

The two dark haired males watched her with an unamused look. “Why would you dare interrupt our battle, girl?” the older of the two asked, irate with her interference. She just blinked up at him with a dull look. “You will see me again… I was just trying to see what I could see before time takes me away.” Her voice came out as an eerie sing song chirp. She swirled away to vanish before their eyes, only for her to appear next to the golden eyed man once more.

“You figure it out?” he asked and she nodded. “You must take the young one. His days are numbered.” She said and he nodded. Her eyes cast a glance up above her sensei’s head to see the number 2 and the letters yrs above his head signifying years. She supposed she should inform him of the fact his days are numbered in years, but she thought against it, seeing that it would be of no use since he would find some way to fix his number issue anyways.

“How many days does he have?” he asked in curiosity and her head tilted and she watched his emotions flit through his eyes. “Two days… on the noon of the second day, the white haired one will kill him. I will stop the white haired one and take him for you. Are these terms agreeable?” she asked and a smirk crossed his lips at how loyal the young woman really was. “Absolutely so.” He said and she nodded. “In the mean time, follow the young man. Make sure no one will try to follow. We only need him at this very moment.” He said and she nodded.

“I've already prepared for this. We can make clones and he won't know which will be the real one once I use reality shift. He will jump through a portal blindly.” She said and picked at her fingernail. “And if they do manage to jump through the one we did I can inflict a reality shift within the vortex and send them in another direction than we will go, he won't be able to follow us even if he did choose the right one.” She said and he nodded, satisfied with her intelligence of using her own powers in the way she had explained she would.

She walked away from him and concealed her chakra as she used a paradigm shift on chakra to keep it permanently concealed, it rearranged the pattern of her chakra flow; so even if the two from before spotted her again her chakra would flow differently and they would believe they were mistaken with her identity. She could reverse the paradigm whenever she felt like it, but she would not do so until she was back in the hideout, safe and sound.

A cross look lingered on her face, she knew the older one would interfere… he still had a good five years left on him while the younger had two days, she would see them both in two days. And she knew she would have no choice but to use the reality shift.

:-:-:-:

He wasn’t letting his younger brother out of his sight not even for a minute when they were away from home now. He had seen the way her eyes were scanning his brother, the way her eyes lingered above his head then scanned over him with a smirk. He hadn’t seen the girl in about a day, but he wasn’t taking any chances. “He has managed to breach our defenses, my lord!” a young man yelled to him and he frowned. “Come brother.” He said and the younger look alike chased after him, clicking his own armor into place.

They ran outside the gates of their home and right to the barren area outside their land. His eyes narrowed and he lunged for the older of the two, the dark haired one. His own brother lunged for the younger of the other two, the dark haired one’s younger brother. He felt someone’s chakra pulse and then he saw the white haired male lunge for his brother. A secondary pulse of chakra and the rippling of air towards him forced him to flip out of the way of both the dust cloud and the ripple of air.

His eyes were wider than they have ever been and his lungs burned due to the lack of oxygen, the tip of the white haired man’s blade was straight center of his younger brother’s chest, so close to piercing the skin it took his breath away. He tried to move but the air was heavy on him, he noticed that it was not as heavy on him as it was compared to his brother and the other two. His eyes flicked around beside him and saw the woman from before walking over to his brother slowly and place her hand on his forehead. Her voice left her as a whisper and he had barely heard it, but he had. “Reality shift.” She had whispered. The number 2 and the word seconds appeared in ghostly writing above his head and as if his eyes couldn’t widen any more, they did.

His jaw became slightly unhinged as the 2 seconds went from 2 seconds to a question mark before the words minutes then hours, days, months, years, and so on so forth. His rapid heartbeat began to slow and calm itself as a sigh of relief left his lips, albeit heavily. The white haired man’s blade shifted to the side about four inches, against his will; signaling what the white haired albino woman had actually done. She could alter reality and as he also noticed, she could alter time to an extent or maybe she could just teleport from place to place.

Snakes burst from the ground and wrapped his brother up to where even if he could move, he couldn’t. His younger brother’s eyes were wide and filled with fear. His brother’s mouth moved slowly, as if he was yelling something, but no sound came out. Another man exited the tree line around them, his skin pale and eyes shining a bright victorious gold. He grabbed his younger brother then the girl whispered the words ‘reality shift’ and with a wave of her hands, three identical versions of each of them appeared, as well as three identical vortexes.

His eyes went wide and he tried to keep track of the real ones, but he blinked and all three vanished through the vortexes. He lunged forwards in that exact moment, jumping through the center vortex; only looking back to see the two brothers they had been quarreling with staring at him with widened eyes, as though they had no idea of what was actually going on other than someone had just taken his brother. They lunged towards a vortex as well, but each vortex closed as they attempted to follow.

He could clearly see his brother and the other two strangers ahead of him, he grit his teeth knowing he had chosen the correct vortex in the end. As the colors spun together, the albino girl managed to use her jutsu once more. This time, the name of the jutsu different… “Paradigm shift: vortex break.” She said as she held out a hand and pointed two fingers towards him as she said it. The movement similar to that of when someone was releasing a seal; soon after, the image before him cracked and began to swirl in a different direction. He grit his teeth and closed his eyes as the colors swirled and made him somewhat nauseous.

He felt the light on his eyes and the rush of wind in his hair as he realized he had been thrown from the vortex. He opened his eyes and the feeling of falling was refreshing to him until he realized that this was not the time to sit and get comfortable with his surroundings. His eyes flickered about, trying to find a safe space to land. He shifted in mid air to attempt to fall feet first but that was proving harder than he would have liked.

He caught sight of a very familiar mountainside below him and he hit the ground and rolled to a stop atop the mountain top. He grit his teeth and attempted to move his arm, he supposed he had broken it upon impact. There was a young woman atop the mountain when he looked up from his broken arm. Her light lavender eyes wide with fear or surprise, either way if it were fear it was something that he couldn’t understand… why was she scared of him? He had never even seen her before.

“Hey, you… lady, are you a healer? I know there are not many really good healers… but… I think I have broken my arm…” he said gruffly and she stumbled backwards slightly. He watched her cautious reaction with calculative eyes. Her calculative eyes clashed with his own, she saw him as a threat; but then again who didn’t think of him as a threat anymore? “Why are you here?” she asked and he furrowed his brow. “I was fighting with two scumbags I've known since I was just a kid, but some guy and an albino girl kidnapped my brother. All I want… is to find him.” He said and she watched him carefully.

He supposed she was searching him to see if there was any indication of him lying to her. “If there was anything I would never lie about, it would be the safety of my younger brother.” He said and her serious frown twitched up into a soft smile and understanding flooded her eyes. There were many things he didn’t understand about this girl, just because she looked so different from anyone he had ever seen before in his twenty two years of life…

“Kuchoise no jutsu!” she exclaimed and the seal spread across the ground beneath her feet. A small white three tailed fox kit stretched and yawned at her. “Hyuuga-sama. Is there something you wish for me to relay to Hokage-sama?” the fox kit asked and her three tails twitched around excitedly. “Yes… Kana-chan. Tell he is needed on the Hokage mountain, along with all three of his advisors. This is top secret so tell no one else, alright dear?” she said softly and the fox made an excited noise as she vanished.

“Hokage?” he asked incredulously and she nodded. “You wouldn’t understand.” She said softly and returned to the sitting position her empty eyes never leaving him once. She crossed one leg over the other and focused on the training both the previous Hokage and the current Hokage were giving her. His eyes scanned over every detail of her, one of her eyes had a scar over it. The scar was barely there, but noticeable only by those adept at taking in the details of the small things.

Four poofs signaled the arrival of kage and company. “Ah, so the chakra I sensed was yours… Hinata… please… return to the Hyuuga residence until I call for you. I might need help from your… special talents…” the blonde Hokage said and she nodded with a slight smile. “Hai, Hokage-sama.” She said politely and vanished in a swirl of mist. The blonde Hokage and his advisors watched him carefully. “I suppose you have reasoning for being here?” the blonde asked and he nodded.

“My brother was taken. I only seek his return, but the albino woman has made it to where I cannot follow yet.” He said and the four men before him watched him carefully. “Shikamaru, bind him. Shino, drain his chakra. Sasuke, when we return to the village we will need you to root through his mind. Uncover where he is from and what his thoughts are. See if he means us harm. If he means our village harm, we will dispose of him… if not… we hand him over to my lady advisor. Naruto said and the other three nodded, they understood exactly what that meant for the man if he acted out. There would be pain.

So… they followed their orders as well…

He found himself unable to move, bound to the ground by a shadow.

The sound of a swarm clouded his ears and he furrowed his brows as his eyes drooped. The insects were draining his chakra and making it difficult to keep his eyes open.

And the Uchiha tossed the finishing punch.

The rest was darkness. 

:-:-:-:-:-:

Hinata shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat and sighed softly she hated seeming so serious all the time. It wasn’t her, not in the slightest. She was still shy, but not as shy as she had once been. She wouldn’t faint any more, but she still couldn’t really bear being around men all the time, it unnerved her greatly. The tiny little white fox wasn’t her summon, that was the one summon bonded to every shinobi under Naruto’s complete care. His advisors, close friends, and… lovers.

She had gotten over the fact Naruto hadn’t loved her as more than a friend, and she was exceptionally Happy for Sakura, she had finally gotten over her Sasuke obsession. Hinata opened her door and strode right into the room where she was supposed to be at all times. It was a large room with a single throne like chair atop a slightly more raised up area. She slipped her shoes off and sat down softly, looking over all of her clan mates who had come for the meeting, she was the leader of the Hyuuga clan now after all…

After her father and mother had been murdered in their sleep…

Her eyes drifted over to her younger sister, Hanabi; who smiled at her the moment she sat down. Hinata’s heart leapt with joy, love, and adoration towards her younger sister. The admiration in Hanabi’s eyes was so strong towards her older sister, whom she had always looked down upon. Hinata had always loved her younger sister, despite the fact her own father had turned the younger girl against her for the longest time.

When Hinata had been named the recipient of the clan head position, Hanabi had freaked out majorly. She was to be sealed upon the morning of the next day. But that night Hinata had stood up to her clan, as clan leader; and told them that there would no longer be Main house or Branch. There was only Hyuuga. That was the year after the war with Madara had ended. Hinata’s eyes would always drift to the other seat beside her… the one reserved for Neji for all eternity.

Hanabi caught her older sisters stare and a saddened look crossed her face. “Madam Hyuuga, we have come bearing important business.” One clan member stated and a soft, loving smile crossed Hinata’s lips. “What is it, dearest brethren?” she asked and the seriousness and intensity of the room calmed significantly. Hanabi had noticed that Hinata had a calming effect on whoever came near. Her voice reigned over them all, angered or calm, and instantly shut the situation down. Hanabi guessed her father had noticed this not long before his demise, and had placed her as recipient of the head position.

“Jikan… she’s back.” He said and Hinata’s usually calm façade fell into one of rage. “So Jikan has come back. I will reign hell down upon this woman. I will give her no more mercy.” Hinata said and Hanabi watched her sister with wide eyes. “Hanabi, we might need you to take over for a while. I refuse to allow her to get away again.” Hinata said, the darkness fading from her eyes. The Hyuuga clan members left the room and left the sisters to speak in confidential space. Hanabi nodded and Hinata smiled at her softly.

“I will always protect you. I will never let any harm come to you.” She said softly with so much love and tenderness in her voice Hanabi couldn’t help the tremble of her lips and the tears that pricked at her eyes. Yes… Hinata knew exactly how the man felt for his younger brother. She supposed they had a personality connection in that way… that’s why, when Hinata’s fingers brushed over Hanabi’s cheeks to wipe away the offending tears trailing over her cheeks, she vowed to help him find his brother; because she couldn’t live without her sister by her side and she knew that if she couldn’t live without her sister, he couldn’t live without his brother either.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

His eyes fluttered open and he scanned his surroundings, he wasn’t all too surprised to see they had restrained him tightly. He could see the Hokage and his advisors across the room discussing him. He knew they were talking about him because when they would talk they would glance over at him. “You're going to come with me, alright?” Naruto said with a smile and he furrowed his brows. “Are you going to kill me?” he asked and Naruto looked taken back before he laughed loudly.

“Trust me, if I wanted you dead, you would already be six feet under.” He laughed and the bindings fell all around him without anyone moving, seemingly. He had seen the flicker of chakra though, the blonde was fast, and he would give him credit for such. “You're somewhat cocky, but not without reason I suppose.” He said and the blonde laughed as his advisors rolled their eyes. “Cocky, no. gullible and loud? Definite yes.” The ponytail wearing advisor said with a chuckle, he supposed this one was the shadow user, Shikamaru was it?

“So I would very much appreciate it if I was informed of my status in… whatever I'm in…” he said and the blonde frowned. “That albino woman you told Hinata about… that’s Jikan… she was…” Naruto began and a frown crossed his lips. “She was a Hyuuga who’s eyes had been stolen. The previous clan head kicked her to the streets, where one of the sannin, Orochimaru… managed to get his grasp on her. She was nearly dead when he had found her. She had supposedly died the next day and was brought back to life by him and altered.” The one called Shikamaru explained.

“No matter how much the new clan head pleaded with her, Jikan refused to return to the clan, often saying they could rot in hell and would die by her hands. The previous Hyuuga clan head and his wife were torn apart in the night by Jikan three years ago… right after we finished fighting a war…” Naruto explained and he nodded. “I see… I will find some way to dispose of her for you, if that is what you wish.” He said and Naruto smiled.

“I wouldn’t ask you to do such a thing. I just want to make sure that while we try and locate her, you stay here under the care of one of my closest friends. I trust her with my life, and I suggest you do the same, she will not let you down.” Naruto said and he held the slightest upturn to his lips. “As I know I can already fend for myself, I will accept your offer. But might I ask what my exact predicament is?” he asked and Naruto nodded.

The Uchiha stepped forwards with his eyes blazing a brilliant red. “You have been taken from your place in time and placed here… from what I have seen… Jikan was expecting you to follow her.” He said and he nodded. “Obviously I noticed that much…. She took my younger brother. I was grateful for a moment when she had altered the fabric of reality and shifted the sword to the side a few inches, but I was enraged when she bound him and took him. I will make her pay.” He said and the other four men nodded with understanding.

“Let’s get you to my dear friend shall we?” Naruto asked then he sighed and yelled for someone. “Sakura!!!” he yelled loudly and the other three took a few steps back as the pinkette appeared before him. Naruto grinned at the long haired woman who scowled at him. He only raised a brow. “You had better know what you're doing, baka baka baka baka….” She snapped, pointing at each of them and repeating the word.

She walked over and none too nicely grasped his broken arm and yanked. His face scrunched up and a yelp of, ‘What the Fuck!?’ left his lips. The heat of the green chakra flooding through said arm didn’t mute the string of curses that left his lips. The pinkette seemed to be enjoying his pain, while the other four men seemed to pale in fear of the same happening to them.

:-:-:-:-:-:

He struggled within the creatures binding him. He had no idea where he was and why these people wanted him. “Stay still for a moment would you? We aren’t going to harm you…” the snake like man said and sighed. That man’s words did absolutely nothing to calm him any, he could hear the absent ‘yet’ in his voice and it bothered him to no end. “What do you want from me?” he asked and the snake man tapped his chin…

“Well… basically… I'm going to create the ultimate being. I just needed… bait to do so…” he said and the young man glared at him. “This is my vengeance, this is going to show those pathetic leaf nin what they have lost…” Jikan said softly and he watched her. “You saved me… to bring me here and kill me?” he snapped and she shook her head. “Afraid not, this is going to be painful for you… and you will die in the process, but then you can forever be free of pain…” she said and he glared at her.

“Your days are numbered…. And so are your dearest older brother’s.” she said and walked out silently as the snake man slammed his arm down against an operating table and cuffed his wrists and ankles. “The perfect experiment… if you and the other child don’t work out… theres always the older siblings…” he chuckled and the young dark haired man glared at him. In his state he knew there was nothing he could do, but… he hoped his older brother would keep his promise this time like he always did.

He knew that even if it took a long time his brother would fight to the death for him, he would go through hell or high waters for him… his brother held him as high as a deity and he had faith his older brother would save him…

Even if it took a long time…

Even if he was injured in the process…

Even if he had to wipe out an entire forest…

His brother would save him.

:-:-:-:-:

She knew she should have been expecting this, she knew she had been slacking once again… but she held no quarrel with the Hokage and his other advisors. She understood her job as plain as day. “Follow me please.” She said with a smile and the group did as told. She led them into the main housing quarters, which had been built for the clean head and the close relatives. She supposed it would be befitting for a guest of this caliber.

He watched her with the same calculative eyes that she had been sending him hours before. “You're a kind host…” the blonde Hokage said and his advisors caught onto the inside joke and a spike of chakra silenced the snickers of the advisors. She knew the newcomer couldn’t pinpoint where the menacing chakra had come from and she stifled a small laugh. She knew he would have to figure it out sooner or later, he was an extremely capable shinobi after all.

“Welcome to my humble home… as long as you don’t break anything or harm members of my household, you are welcome to wander. If you need me, find Ko, he is usually outside the main doorway of this building. He is my friend and assistant, so I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t harm him.” She said and a calming chakra washed over the entire household, he suspected it came from her, due to the waves rolling off from around her.

“Hinata is my diplomat and runs back and forth between villages, settling disputes with her chakra alone. She has many titles, but she prefers her name.” Naruto said with a smile. He raised a brow and she smiled. “I'm known as the peace keeper, they also call me a symbol of unity… but I do not wish to have such titles.” She said and he nodded the slightest upturning of his lips. “It is nice to meet you off of a battle field… Madara Uchiha…” she said and he slowly blinked.

He was confused yet interested at the same time. She held no more fear towards him it seemed. “Hanabi… would you accompany me please?” she asked and he resisted the smirk that ached to cross his lips. The younger girl followed her older sister and he was shown to his room. He knew the abnormally calm woman had some sort of quirk… when he found his brother, they would figure it out together…

:-:-:

Hinata caught her breath once the door shut behind her and her younger sister clasped a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her laughter. Hinata pouted at her younger sister slightly, but she knew Hanabi was only laughing with her and not at her. “You seem quite flustered sister, tell me… is it because he looks like a much more attractive Sasuke… or have you developed a liking for the bad guys?” Hanabi laughed and Hinata glared at her, her chakra spiking, but not enough so to rouse the rest if the clan members.

“Hana-nee… you know how I get around men… I'm a bumbling fool…” Hinata pouted and Hanabi released a loud snort at this. “Um… no. you are not this way around all men, just the attractive ones.” Hanabi laughed and Hinata blushed with a defiant look on her face. A saddened look crossed Hinata’s face and Hanabi mirrored her grim look. “She’s back… Hinata-nee… what are we going to do?” she asked as she sat upon her older sister’s bed right beside her.

“I don’t know Hanabi… I don’t know…” Hinata said and Hanabi frowned. “But…” Hinata began and Hanabi looked up from her hands to stare right into determined lavender eyes. The scar crossing over Hinata’s left eye and barely touching the right eye brought a frown to Hanabi’s lips. “What I do know… is that I refuse to allow you to endure what I did. You will not be a victim to her paradigm shift like I was.” Hinata said and Hanabi frowned and eyed her hands once more.

“Promise me that you will not confront her once more… I... I can't bear having to see you like that… not again.” Hanabi said and Hinata smiled at her younger sister and placed a hand on her younger sister’s cheek. Hanabi’s lip trembled at the look her older sister was giving her. Hinata held a small smile, her eyes closed in a serene manner, but in this look… Hinata was telling Hanabi that there was no stopping her and that she was going to fight Jikan even if it ended up killing her.

Hanabi bit her lip and fisted her hands in her lap. “Please Hinata… I'm begging you…” Hanabi sobbed and fisted her hands even tighter. “I can't watch you lay there for all those months again… unable to move… unable to speak… you… you were out of commission for so long… seven months… seven months is how long it took you to get the energy to shove yourself out of the bed…” Hanabi sobbed and Hinata smiled softly.

“Even then, once you hit the floor… you were unable to move any further. It took you three more months for you to learn how to enunciate words correctly and move again… then it took an entire year for you to develop any chakra control in the slightest… please… don’t submit yourself to that again… not for me…” Hanabi sobbed and Hinata stood. “Hanabi…” Hinata called and Hanabi looked up with tears in her eyes.

“I'm alive. I have every word I learned to speak again, every twitch of every muscle I regained, every day that passed by with me being completely useless, and every worried yelp you would make when I would go against Tsunade’s wishes… to thank for getting me off that bed and back on my feet. I refuse to let her take me down again. If the flow of my chakra is changed once more, then I will force myself off the bed and I will develop new jutsu to accommodate my changed chakra system once more.” Hinata said and Hanabi grit her teeth.

She knew what Hinata was saying was the truth. Currently Hinata was the only female advisor to the Hokage for the reason that her strength was on par with the male advisors and the Hokage’s as well. Naruto had named her older sister the honorary title of female advisor after he had chosen his primary advisors, and the fire daimyo had approved of his choice, having stopped in to see Hinata in the hospital occasionally.

Hinata had friends in very high places, and usually it had been due to her calming aura that had followed her everywhere, but then the word of her accident and her determination for recovery had reached the ears of important people and they had to see it for themselves. Hanabi’s lip trembled, she had thought so lowly of her sister for the longest time… but… once her father and mother had passed on she had started to see just how strong her sister was. Hanabi idolized her older sister because after all these years she realized that what her father had was not strength, but instead power and respect.

Hanabi watched as Hinata gathered a hand made blanket and a set of sheets and pillows the soft silken material shining in the light streaming through the window. Her sister had been through so much, but she still held herself so high, but modestly so. Hinata always held a smile, unless it was a serious matter that needed to be dealt with immediately, then Hinata’s true feelings for said situation would emerge and if you haven’t seen Hinata angry, you wouldn’t want to.

“Come now Hanabi, enough of the sorrowful aura you're giving off, follow me. and… carry these pillows please.” Hinata said, offering a small smile. Hanabi nodded and rushed over to help her older sister with the bedding. She took the pillows from Hinata’s grasp and opened the door for her. Hanabi followed Hinata all the way back to the guest room where she heard talking. Hinata knocked on the door and Naruto opened the door and grinned at her.

“I've brought some bedding items for you, Uchiha-sama.” Hinata said and Madara stood and bowed lightly to her. “Thank you Hinata-sama.” He greeted right back with the same politeness she gave him. “Hey, Madara. I have things to do and a certain pink haired wife to appease. She doesn’t like you very much, despite the fact you're not the bat shit crazy Madara that attacked us three years ago.” Naruto laughed and took off out of the door.

A dark feeling overtook the area at Naruto’s swift departure. “He was eating ramen in here again wasn’t he? And don’t protect him, I smell it still. I've warned him time and time again that when he visits, the ramen stays secluded to the dining area because no one wants to sleep where it smells like ramen.” Hinata sighed and Madara raised a brow at her riled up chakra. “Forgive me, no good host would force you to sleep where Naruto has eaten. Hokage he may be, but he still makes messes. If you would please follow me, I will show you to another room.” Hinata began and Madara cleared his throat.

“Um. Please. This is fine, my brother does similar things. I'm fine here. And don’t treat me so respectfully. It makes me feel weird….” He sighed and her eye twitched slightly. “Fine, have it as you will.” She said with a false smile. She then turned on her heel and walked out. Leaving Sasuke and Madara to watch her leave in wonder. “What was that about…” Madara sighed and Sasuke shrugged. “I personally think she has something against the smell of ramen.” Sasuke said and Madara raised a brow.

“Or… it could possibly still be that despite how much she tries to deny it she’s still not over the blonde idiot, even if he had proposed to her at one time and she declined.” Sasuke said and Madara blinked. “She declined?” he asked and Sasuke nodded and stretched out his legs in the chair he was currently sitting in. “Why would she do that if she liked him?” Madara asked and Sasuke frowned. “She never thought she was good enough. No matter how hard she tried she never thought she would ever be good enough for him.” Sasuke said then readjusted in his chair.

“More than once, she used herself to save him. She pretty much worshipped the ground he walked on for the longest time and I could never figure out why. But after the war… and after I had come to realize why I thought of the blonde as a brother… then I had also realized why she loved him so.” Sasuke said and removed his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeve, revealing the pale white skin that connected to scarred up peachy colored skin. “We both lost an arm in that fight… it had taken me so long to accept that I couldn’t like without my blonde fool of a brother, and it had taken her just as long to figure out that she could. She told him and Sakura that they belonged together… and that Hinata herself had no place in his future romantically.” Sasuke said and a look of pride flashed through his eyes.

“She had said this from a hospital bed, no less. Those were the first words anyone had heard her speak in nine months.” Sasuke said and Madara’s brow furrowed. “I'm going to tell you Hinata’s story… but this is only a warning for you. Please remember that…” Sasuke said and Madara nodded. “I was there when it had happened… I had no idea how to stop it and I will forever be haunted by her scream of pain. I knew only then that I had failed in my one job… I had failed to protect her.” Sasuke said and began his explanation, but then realized that vocal explanations were much more complicated than visual.

“Let me show you, instead of wasting hours speaking… I can show you in a matter of minutes.” Sasuke said and Madara nodded as the younger Uchiha’s eyes flashed red.

…..Begin flashback…..

They had chased after Jikan, who had led them off into the woods surrounding konoha. Tsunade had given the two of them explicit orders to  
eliminate the threat that was Jikan. Sasuke had taken to the trees while Hinata had stayed on the ground, right on Jikan’s heel. Sasuke had been distracted by the other person that had accompanied the albino woman Hinata was currently chasing down. “Seems you never learn your lesson Sasuke.” Orochimaru chuckled and his clone vanished as he heard the connecting of skin in the signature sound of the gentle fist.

Sasuke had made it there not too long after they had begun fighting, but when he had lunged to attack, the albino woman turned to him with a smirk. She thumped the air in front of him and froze him in place, then she turned and slowed Hinata’s movements the slightest bit. Hinata was significantly slower than she had been before and both of them knew that this was going to be an issue as soon as Jikan’s hands began flying through hand signs.

He was forced to watch as Jikan used her Justu paradigm shift: chakra disruption, on Hinata. Hinata screamed out in agony, as if she were being ripped apart inside. Sasuke struggled to move as Hinata crumpled to the ground, but the only thing he could do was watch. This was about the time Shikamaru had arrived and had interrupted Jikan’s attempt to kill Hinata. Instead of Jikan’s blade piercing the skin anywhere else on Hinata, the blade missed and scoured over her left eye and over the bridge of Hinata’s nose to just barely touch Hinata’s right eye.

When Jikan had vanished, Sasuke hit the ground and skidded to his knees. He scrambled to get back to his feet and he rushed over to Hinata. “Hinata… Hinata are you alright?” he asked and he lifted her the slightest bit. Her body was completely limp, there was no resistance of muscles tightening what so ever. Gravity was the only opposing force on her body. The only sounds she was making were the sounds of her breathing.  
“Hinata, can you speak?” Sasuke asked, seeing that she was staring at him with shaking eyes .  
No response.  
“Can you move your fingers for me?” he asked with a furrow of the brows.

No response, not even a blink of the eyes. Hinata’s left eye had a red slice in it and he didn’t even know if she could see anymore.  
“Hinata… can you move anything?” Shikamaru asked as he crouched beside Sasuke, who was holding Hinata off the ground ever so slightly.  
Her eyes just barely twitched over to see him but not a single other muscle in her body moved.  
That was the only response, other than the tears that pooled in her eyes. 

“Sasuke… she’s staring right at me… but there’s no viable response from any of her muscles. She can't speak much less move. Jikan has done more damage than Tsunade will be able to fix I believe… but… none the less. We have to get her to Tsunade and fast.” Shikamaru had said. Sasuke had nodded and gently lifted his ally off the ground. He felt her warm tears trail over his wrist and he frowned. He held her tighter to him as he lunged up to jump through the trees.  
One of the first faces he saw was that of Hinata’s own sister, Hanabi. 

“Sasuke-san! Where is Hinata-nee? The woman you have is not my sister!” Hanabi yelled and Sasuke furrowed his brows. Shikamaru glanced at him as well and he shook his head at Hanabi. “This is Hinata… I'm guessing you have pointed out what Jikan has done to her then…” Shikamaru began with a worried crease of the brow. Hanabi’s eyes went wide and she bit her lip. “S-she altered Hinata’s chakra pattern?” Hanabi asked shakily and Shikamaru pursed his lips.

“I'm not sure but we should get her to Tsunade to see if what we think we have figured out is true.” Shikamaru said and she nodded. Tsunade was sitting on the counter of her designated hospital room when they walked in and set Hinata on the hospital bed. “What exactly happened? I need to know in exact detail.” Tsunade said and Shikamaru opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke began speaking first. “We had intercepted Jikan and Orochimaru, I had gone after Orochimaru and Hinata had gone after Jikan.” Sasuke began and Tsunade nodded and began her examination of the seemingly paralyzed young woman.

“Jikan used a jutsu on me and I found myself unable to move. She slowed Hinata’s movement and then used a Jutsu she called chakra disruption on her, that was the moment when Hinata crumpled onto the ground. Hanabi didn’t even recognize Hinata’s chakra at first, so we think that Jikan has the ability to rewire one’s chakra system in a sense.” Sasuke said and Tsunade frowned and nodded. “Was it another of her paradigm shift jutsu?” she asked and Sasuke nodded. “Yes.” He said and she released a sigh.

“Jikan has the ability to change the pattern of anything. If it has a certain pattern to it… she can alter it to her liking. Usually when she alters something’s pattern it is meant to harm or even destroy the item she has altered. Judging by the look of Hinata’s eye… Jikan was going to kill her.” Tsunade said and lifted Hinata’s left arm then tested for any muscle resistance, but there was none. “Hanabi…” Tsunade called and the young Hyuuga stepped inside the doorway.

“I have a very important job for you…” Tsunade said and Hanabi nodded. “Are you sure you can handle whatever I have to tell you?” Tsunade asked and Hanabi nodded without hesitation. “Alright…” Tsunade began with a grim line on her lips. “You must inform the Hyuuga that you are now head of the Hyuuga.” Tsunade said and Hanabi opened her mouth to release a rebuttal but Tsunade’s harsh glare silenced her. 

“You said you could handle it.” she snapped and Hanabi frowned and nodded. “Then… you must inform them that these arrangements are indefinite because there is the slightest bit of a chance that Hinata can make it. the chances are about as slim as the chance that lee would have been able to be a shinobi after his chunnin exams, but… knowing Hinata…” Tsunade said and the the grim line on her lips tugged up at the corners the slightest bit.

“Knowing her… she is going to be determined to make it through. It would be an agonizingly long process of her recovery, and there is a ninety percent chance she will not recover, judging by how severely her nerves and muscles were damaged by the jutsu, but there is a ten percent chance she will make it… and if anyone other than Sasuke or Naruto could come back from something like this… it would be Hinata.” Tsunade said and Hanabi nodded.

“Your sister has been through so much… and she has always prevailed, so do not lose hope. She will make it, even if just through pure determination. Now. You get on home and tell them of the circumstances, and tell them that if they have any issues they can take it up with me. Your sister has after all given me the right to choose whoever I see fit to choose her replacement, even if only temporarily.” Tsunade said and Hanabi nodded and took off.

“And you…” Tsunade said as she turned to Sasuke. “You are a close friend of hers, so would you watch after her please? Shikamaru can inform Naruto of what has happened in your stead. He should be up in my tower studying for his duties as Hokage still since he can't seem to get it through his head that there are things he is not supposed to dol.” She said with a smile and Shikamaru nodded then vanished through the doorway. “Sasuke, what do you think will happen to Hinata?” Tsunade asked and Sasuke pursed his lips in thought.

“Well… whenever she wakes up and gets her strength back…” he began with a small twitch of the lips. “I think she is going to attempt to kick my ass for chasing after Orochimaru instead of following her and Jikan. That would be my guess.” Sasuke chuckled and saw the amusement flicker through Hinata’s drooping eyes. He cringed slightly and looked at the blonde Hokage. “I would say I hit the nail right on the head there.” he sighed and Tsunade laughed as she adjusted Hinata to a more comfortable position.

It had been months of him sitting in the hospital watching after her before she began to show any signs of doing anything at all. The first sign of movement was when she would open her eyes on her own; she’d had her eyes closed for nearly four months before she had been able to open them. They had suspected that Hinata would try to open her eyes at some point, so the lights were almost always out just in case she opened them so the light wouldn’t blind her.

He hadn’t noticed her staring at him at first, until he had actually looked up from his book to see a glare focused on him. He had never been so confused when it had come to her until then. “What? What did I do this time?” he grumbled and he saw the slightest twitch of her facial muscles. It seemed she was still trying to get her muscles to work. So, it seemed she was glaring at the fact her muscles were still not working and not at him.

“Don’t worry… you’re doing well. Just being able to open your eyes is the most you really need to be working on right now, this is the most you’ve done in four months. Hanabi-chan will no doubt be proud of you.” He said with a slightly forced smile. He was still learning how to be comforting, and he guessed he had done something right because the edges of her lips twitched in the slightest. He nodded and returned to his book, which he had to continue to flip through with one hand because the plastic prosthetic Tsunade had given him had been destroyed in the fight with jikan, who seemingly knew he had a false arm.

Faces came and went important people and even friends, had drifted in and out of the room. None of them had seen the determination that he had seen every day he had been there. After she had learned how to open her eyes once more, Hinata’s fingers and toes would begin to twitch in the slightest. He would barely notice her progression in doing so because she was doing so when he was sleeping and the ruffling of bedding would wake him and she would halt all movement.

It seemed to him that she wanted to prove to everyone that she could do it all on her own, and that she didn’t want anyone seeing her struggle. He admired her tenacity, in all actuality she was still strong even if she couldn’t pull herself off the bed just yet he had earned her respect in her struggle alone. It had been about seven months since the incident now and he hadn’t seen her move all too much as of late. He hadn’t thought that he should tell Tsunade that she was attempting to move because every time he had opened his mouth to call for a nurse every time her finger twitched, a dark aura would wash over him and he felt as if he should just obey the angered air for a little longer.

There were a few times that he would leave to get a real shower not just the hospital ones, real food instead of hospital food, and actual sleep that wasn’t involving a chair, that when he would return there would be one or more smells in the room that were oddly familiar but oddly comforting as well. He would come into the room and he would find that Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino had weaseled their way into the room and had nestled their way into the hospital bed with their acclaimed sister. Tsunade would tell him not to disturb them and just let them sleep because it was rough on them all.

He had drifted off for a while when the sound of Hanabi yelling and a thud reached his ears. He jumped to his feet in a frenzy only to see Hinata in the middle of the floor with a grin on her lips, Kiba Akamaru, and Shino nowhere to be found. “What happened?” he asked and Hanabi looked at him then rushed to her older sister’s side. “She stood… she stood on her own.” Hanabi managed and he repressed a smirk. So she had been trying to regain her movement for all this time under his nose.

“Well… up you go.” Sasuke said and lifted Hinata off the floor once more. He placed her in the bed and she opened her mouth to speak but no words had escaped her lips. Her irritation surfaced and he felt that dark aura wash over him once more, he hadn’t felt it in a long time, so he had just brushed it off as nothing, but the anger that was evident in Hinata’s eyes assured him that she was the cause of it. Hanabi seemed to be stuck in a stupor at the pure anger emanating from her once usually calm sister.

“Hinata-nee… your chakra…” she said and Hinata blinked and a smile crossed her lips. A calming aura washed over them and Hanabi smiled and encased her sister in a hug. It was a few more months before Naruto had come in and explained to Hinata that he’d had a very important question for her. She’d blinked at him then moved over so he could sit beside her on the bed. “Hinata-chan… we have been through so much together… and everything you have done… you did it to show me you cared, you have saved my life more times than I can count, and I just want you to know I love you dearly. So… would you marry me?” He asked and the look of shock on her face was forever ingrained into Sasuke’s mind.

But her words were also there… stuck in his mind, creating an eternal anger that would never subside. “I love you as well Naruto… but… you and I both know that there is still someone else who you care deeply for… I cannot compare to her and we both know this. So please… do not waste your precious time on me when we both know that I will most likely never be a shinobi again. Go be with the one who everyone knows you love.” Hinata said and Naruto’s eyes were wide.

“Hinata… I... I can't.” he said and she looked over at him with a soft smile. “Even if you think you owe me something, you do not. I did everything I ever did for you, because you were a precious friend. I will someday find someone else, but you will forever be my number one when I have something to protect. Because… every word you ever said to me made me do my absolute best, even if I still got hurt in the end. Please, do not feel as if you have to owe me something, because you could never owe me anything.” Hinata said and Naruto’s eyes clouded over in sadness.

She embraced him tightly and he nodded. “I will do my best, for you as well… Hinata-chan.” He said and she smiled. “Thank you.” She said and he nodded as Tsunade walked into the room. “Naruto, you should probably get back to the paperwork, alright? Sakura has offered to assist you with the work today.” Tsunade said and Hinata laughed lightly. Naruto looked over at Hinata who smiled brightly at him. “She approached me to see if I would be alright if you two ever got together. I told her yes, because I only want you to be Happy.” Hinata said and Naruto nodded and turned around to wipe at his eyes with his sleeves.

“You're far too kind to him Hinata-chan…” Sasuke muttered crossly and Hinata laughed loudly, as did Naruto and Hanabi. “And I'm not kind to you, Sasuke-kun?” she asked and Sasuke smirked. “I suppose you are a bit nice to him Hinata-chan… you haven’t pummeled him for putting you in this whole predicament yet.” Naruto laughed and Hinata beamed at him. “Not yet, and I don’t actually think I will have the ability to do so for a while… but if anyone is going to help me regain use of my chakra, I choose Sasuke to be the one to assist.” Hinata said and Naruto grinned.

“I also have a special jutsu for you whenever you do get use of your chakra back. Tsunade-baa will assist in helping you learn it as well. We have looked over the books and we figured that this jutsu would be perfect for you.” Naruto said and gave her a one hand wave before he took off to his office where he knew his pink haired friend was going to pummel him into oblivion if he didn’t show up for the paperwork soon.

It wasn’t long after that, when Tsunade had released Hinata from the hospital. Sasuke had begun working with Hinata on her chakra control and as usual she excelled swiftly with learning how to use it once more. She also learned that her chakra in its’ barest form was a weapon. Similar to the manner that Hashirama used when he had been reanimated, Hinata can stifle out other’s chakra and leave them overwhelmed to the point of fear. Her chakra could also be used as a calming agent, washing over people and settling their nerves in a manner similar to that of a medic healing a wound.

\--end flashback—

Sasuke shook his head to rid himself of the migraine that had come from transferring the images from his own memory into Madara’s mind. Madara’s mind wandered to the woman who was graciously accepting him into her home, despite knowing who he was. He could feel her chakra, it lit up his mind like fireworks. Him being a very capable sensor, he felt every wavelength her chakra ran through in every moment that it changed. He supposed he should warn her that she should conceal her chakra signature, but then again… he didn’t want the vicious and sharp black chakra cutting at his senses at every turn should he say something to upset her.

“You're focusing too much on her chakra… and she will notice.” Hanabi said from the doorway with a smirk on her lips and Madara blinked in surprise. “Oh yes… I forgot to mention the younger sister. The reverse sensor.” Sasuke said with a chuckle and Madara watched the younger brown haired Hyuuga with a curious glance. “My abilities are simple, but unable to be imitated in the slightest. I see the targets, not the enemies. If someone is targeting someone with any sort of malice or even intent to hurt them, I can sense it even if the intent is just barely there. if the thought to harm someone even crosses your mind for a second, I will be able to sense it and I can cut the situation short. I can even sense the target of another sensor, it isn’t hard.” Hanabi bragged and Madara chuckled.

“It halts no arrogance though does it?” Madara chuckled and Hanabi smirked. “You're one to talk.” She said and he smirked. “I would like to spar with you.” Hanabi said and Madara chuckled and shook his head slightly as he stood. “Where shall we spar then little girl?” he asked with a smirk and she grinned. “It doesn’t matter, I have no regard for walls.” Hanabi said and Madara chuckled. Sasuke decided that this was as good a time as any to make his leave before Hinata found them.

:-:-:-:-:

Naruto laughed loudly remembering her reaction to his decision of Madara staying with her. A smile crossed his lips and Sakura laughed lightly. “She is still no doubt known as the legendary fainting goat.” Sakura gave Naruto a look and his advisors laughed as well. “She can handle him. She’s hell on heels.” Sasuke said with the shake of his head as he caught up with them and Shino chuckled. “Well let’s hope he doesn’t find the limit of her kindness, shall we?”

A dark aura washed over them and Sasuke sighed. “Seems Hinata has found Hanabi and Madara.” He said and they all sighed. “What are they doing now?” Naruto sighed and Sasuke grinned. “Hanabi challenged Madara to a spar… in the middle of the Hyuuga compound. No regard for walls, I believe were Hanabi’s exact words.” Sasuke said and Naruto shook his head. “I believe we should return tp the Hyuuga compound before things get out of hand.

When they arrived back at the compound, they saw Madara and Hanabi on their knees. Hinata was standing before them with an aura as black as night surrounding her. “You're testing my patience… Madara Uchiha…” she muttered and Madara grimaced as her chakra became overwhelming to his hyperactive senses. “I know that you're a sensor and I know exactly how to shut one down. This isn’t the first time I have had to do so, but I would hope it would have to be the last time I have to do so concerning you.” Hinata said and he nodded.

“I do not take sparring within the compound walls lightly, and you know this Hanabi. Or were you just trying to get me riled up?” Hinata asked with the narrowing of her eyes. “Sorry nee-chan.” Hanabi said with a slight smile and Hinata sighed and rubbed her temple. She turned back to see that the room she had given to Madara had the outside wall in crumbles. “Hanabi. Follow me, you're going to call the repair men and have them get this fixed. In the mean time, I will find you another room, alright Madara?” she asked and the dark haired sensor nodded.

Hinata and Hanabi vanished from sight and Madara stood with a smirk on his lips. She was the first person to ever shut him down so swiftly. Without even having to raise a finger, no less. Hashirama always had to hit him a few times to get him down and out for a while. “So… have you learned your lesson?” Sakura asked with a dirty look and a grin overtook his lips. “Yes. Very much so… and I believe there is much more that this strange woman can teach me.” he said and Sakura’s eye twitched and he barely had time to dodge the fist that was sent his way, but he managed and landed in a crouch a few feet away.

“You will not use her as something to study and learn from! She is a human as well! If you so much as try to use her in such a manner I will rip you limb from limb!” Sakura sneered at him and not once during her angered rant did she lower her fists. “That is not what I meant. Forgive me if my excitement seemed rude, she intrigues me. but it is mainly because I see similarities between her and myself.” Madara said and Sakura’s fists lowered.

“She is like me… she’s been through a lot. She’s lost family, she’s suffered greatly, and she has her eyes set on protecting one person; her younger sister. Her endeavors are alike to mine and I respect that.” Madara said and Sakura nodded, but her dirty look did not leave him once. “I will have you know…” Sakura began and Madara’s eyes landed on her, along with the eyes of everyone else.

“You're the cause of her pain. That empty seat in the main gathering room… it belongs to her cousin. The other two, her and her sister. That empty chair is only empty because of you. This world would have been a much better place if you had just died when Hashirama had supposedly killed you. We lost so many… but I had never seen anyone lose so much and still smile. You killed her cousin Neji. You. I don’t care if the blood of her cousin is not on your hands exactly… but the man named Madara was the cause of his demise… and you just so happen to be him from another time and I will never forgive you… I don’t care if she does or if anyone else does. You were the source of her pain and I will never forgive you for hurting her.” Sakura said and spun on her heel to storm away.

Madara’s eyes drooped and a frown traced his lips. “I see… then once I retrieve my younger brother, we will find a way to leave, as to not be in the way.” He said and stood.

:-:_:-:

Hinata turned around a corner with a small serene smile tracing her lips, her calming chakra rolling off of her in waves. Her calming chakra came to an immediate halt when she saw how enraged Sakura was when she was yelling at Madara. Hinata frowned as she felt the rage roll off of Sakura. Her eyes drifted to Madara, but he was… upset… instead of calm or angered he seemed depressed. “Ne, ne Hinata-chan… he’s cute isn’t he? Makes me wonder what his younger brother looks like.” Hanabi began with a suggestive look and Hinata’s face flushed bright red. “Hanabi!” Hinata scolded her younger sister, who only laughed at her older sister’s embarrassment.

“You know… you shouldn’t stare while I'm around… I always find out.” Hanabi laughed and Hinata blushed deeper. “Hanabi chan… go make the call… or else…” Hinata said attempting to be serious, but failing. Hanabi laughed as she took off to do as her older sister asked anyways.

“Ano… Madara…” Hinata called out and he looked over at her with that same sorrowful look in his eyes that she had felt in his chakra. “I have a room for you, please follow me so I can see if it is to your liking.” Hinata said with a smile and he nodded, and made his way over to her. “Thank you for being such a kind hostess to me, lady Hyuuga.” Madara said and she smiled. “Hinata. Please just call me Hinata. And…” she began as she turned to look at him.

“Do not blame yourself for Neji’s death. I was the one who jumped in front of Naruto to take what would have been a fatal hit, if anyone. I am the one to blame because I should have remembered that my cousin’s sole job given to him by my family, was to make sure no harm came to me. so I am the one to blame, and you are not.” Hinata said and he watched her carefully. “Anyways… your room is right next to mine and across the hall to hanabi’s. if there is anything you need feel free to knock, because I will be there to assist you at any time.” Hinata said as she showed him to his room.

“Thank you, once more.” He said and she smiled. “I understand how you feel. I would want nothing more than to rescue my sister if anything ever came to harm her, so if it is any consolation. I will be there to assist in the retrieval of your brother, Izuna, was it?” she asked and he nodded with a small hint of a grateful smile.


End file.
